Russia says it has gained more ground in battle for Bakhmut

Russia’s defence ministry announced Sunday that its soldiers had taken more territory in Bakhmut as they seek full control of the city.

Bakhmut, an Eastern Ukrainian city almost completely destroyed by artillery fire and urban combat, has been one of the bloodiest battles of the 14-month war.

Russia claims taking Bakhmut will enable subsequent offensives into eastern Ukraine. If they succeed, Moscow’s soldiers may confront greater urban battles for Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

On Sunday, Russia’s defense ministry said soldiers secured two more blocks in Bakhmut’s western districts and airborne units were reinforcing the north and south.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the private Wagner military unit attacking Bakhmut, claims his soldiers control 80% of the city. Kyiv has dismissed reports of a withdrawal.

Reuters couldn’t corroborate combat reports.

On Sunday, the Russian-installed governor of Ukraine’s southern Kherson district refuted a U.S. think tank allegation that Ukrainian soldiers had occupied the eastern side of the Dnipro river.

“There is no enemy foothold on the left (eastern) bank of the Dnipro river… our military completely controls that territory,” Vladimir Saldo posted on his Telegram channel.

“There may be cases of enemy sabotage groups making landings to take a selfie, before being… destroyed or pushed into the water by our fighters.”

The Institute for the Study of War said that Ukraine had “established positions” on the eastern bank “at what scale or with what intentions” based on Russian military bloggers embedded with Moscow’s forces.

Ukraine’s southern command spokeswoman requested “informational silence” for operational security.

“I want everyone to understand that it is very difficult work to cross an obstacle like the Dnipro, for example – when the front line runs along such a wide, powerful river,” Natalia Humeniuk told Ukrainian television.

“Be patient,” she said.

Russia withdrew from the western bank of the river last year as part of a sequence of withdrawals that shifted the conflict’s momentum toward Kyiv.